The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-12
Comments of the News and Courier on
Farmer TilIman's Criticisms.

Capt. Tillman, in a letter which is
published to-day, criticises sharply
tho action Of the Senate upon the
measures proposed through tue farm
er's convention, and particularly con.
denns the postponement of the bill
to rcorganize the A, cultural DE.
partmeDt.
From Capt. Tillman's point of
view, the agricultural Senators are
not alone to blame. He insists that
his pet avcrsions, the lawyers, are
equally in the wrong. 1t appeared,
however, by the report of the debates,
we think, that the stoutcst opponents
of the projects which Capt. Tillman
advocates were found in the ranks of
the farmers in the Senate. These
are certainly responsible for the con.
clusion reached, inasmuch as the
change of their votes from one side
to the other would have insured the
passage of the bill.
Capt. Tiilman thinks that sinister
influences are ut work in the Senate,
and he evidently questions the good
faith Of some members of the body,
but among the lawyers in the Senate
are men Of the highest character, and
it cannotssbe supposed, for a moment,
that any of them has any other mo.
tive than to serve the best interests
of the public as he understands them.
There will always be differences of
opinion, and there can be as much
honesty in one direction as in an
other. We find no fault with the
intelligence or purposes of those who
oppose the establishment of an Agri.
cultural College and the reorganiza.
ton of the Department of Agricul-
ture, though we are heartily in favor
of the college and Of the reorganiza-
ton which was desired. Capt. Till
man in time, we hope, will look moro
charitably upon opposing views, and
when he reaches this point will find
the road to reform easier to travel.
There is good deal Of human ma
ture in mankind, and those whom
Capt. Tillman has singled out at
different times can hardly be expect
ed to look upon his propositions with
as much favor as though lie himself
had always been studiously moderate
and just. Much of what is asked
for must depend for its acceptability
upon the confidence reposed in the
good judgment and sound informa.
tion Of those who ask for it..
We shall continue to urge the es.
tablishment of the Agricultural Col
lege, and such reorganization of the
Department Of Agriculture as was
contemplated at the last session of
the Legislature. Besides this, we
shall always be ready to give the
farmers, whatever their views, full
and fair hearing on the subject Of re-
form. They can, through our columns,
continue to express their sentiments
and put their arguments before the
public. The main difficulty in the
way of reforms, however promising,
is in lack Of knowledge. The farm.
ere, therefore, with men like Gen.
Hagood, Capt Tillman and Mr.. Nor
ris in their ranks, can we'll take up
the cudgels in behalf Of the agricul.
tural interests. They will either
make converts enough to render their
ultimate success certain, or they will,
through discussion, be led to modi.
fly their own desires.
The great object is to get at the
truth--thc truth as to the evil, and
the truth as to the remedy. The
farmers can assist the whole people
by expressing their wishes and the
reasons for them.